his post was inspired by a session I listened to called “Revolution postponed: The Arab Spring and Africa” at the just concluded Global Media Forum hosted by Deutsche Welle.Who provides the worldwide acceptable definition of the word ‘Revolution’? Who owns the word? Is it Tunisia, because they pretty much started the wave the world now refers to… The post Af […]

When Oswald Mbuyiseni Mtshali wrote the classic ‘Nightfall in Soweto’, perhaps he had peeked far into the future and seen the exact similarities between his protagonist and Boko Haram in all their deviousness.When he wrote, “a murderous hand, lurking in the shadows, clasping the dagger, strikes down the helpless victim”, maybe he had seen correctly, but… The […]

Good ideas don’t require proper planning or schedule; nor do they benefit from exhaustingly long meetings and conversations with management. They emerge from experiments, from playing around with things that you care about, things to which you have an emotional attachment. And quite often they need a creative chaotic environment to flourish and grow. However […]

OBIS DARBAS: My full name is Obiamaka Adabanya but for the purpose of not twisting your tongue I’m otherwise called “OBIS DARBAS”…..I am a Geologist, but a Geologist with a passion for makeup. Presently, I am a professional freelance makeup artist.

The Glam One herself!

D Fairy GodSister: What’s the relationship between Geology and make up artistry?

OBIS DARBAS: Ha ha ha ha ha! I wish I knew. First of all, I studied Geology back in the University. Secondly, I am a very stylish and fashionable person. Complimenting that is the fact that applying my makeup gave me an additional boost of beauty. I’m on a journey to spread that inner beauty….

D Fairy GodSister: So it’s all about spreading the beauty? Nothing to do with the money? Especially since you’ve done some work for some really big names!

OBIS DARBAS: Initially, I started helping the girls in school to shape their brows, choose the right foundation, eye shadow and do the entire makeup application for free. It just gave me joy. However I got a makeup job for an advertising company back in school. They paid me well, but I still did the usual freebies back on campus. This happened for about five years until two years ago, I took professional classes. And now….booyahhh! I do it for the joy and money….

D Fairy GodSister: Ha ha ha! I like the booyaah part! So, is it like a day job now? Or you’re in a geologist by day, makeup artist by night place now?

OBIS DARBAS: LOL….There is no day and night thing. I just have a way of roping both of them in. Most of my makeup jobs fall during the weekend. So it’s a win-win situation!

OBIS DARBAS: MUD deal? Loool. Well MUD is one of the makeup schools I attended. The other one is Ulta (Chicago). I would say I was an outstanding student at MUD. After I graduated I’ve always been offered the opportunity to come lecture students and invigilate their exams, till date. MUD is like a parent to me….

OBIS DARBAS: Ha! What’s your definition of biggest job? The pay? I classify mine by opportunity though. The pay may not necessarily be the “factor”….

One of her many clients…..

D Fairy GodSister: Nope, I meant the workload. I’ll explain. So let’s say you had to cater to a bride and 14 bridesmaids, that kind of big.

OBIS DARBAS: Oh I see! I have done a bride, the bride’s mum and six bridesmaids. And on that same day had to do three different looks for the bride’s different costumes. Funny enough, over time once I do the bride’s trial before her big day, they never want me to do their train. Reason is they don’t want my magic to make their brides maids any prettier than them!

D Fairy GodSister: Lol!!! Seriously?

OBIS DARBAS: Yup!

D Fairy GodSister: Do you always do a trial for brides?

OBIS DARBAS: Yes I always do. Usually two weeks to two months before their big day. Complexion and facial stress are things I need to sit and discuss with the bride.

D Fairy GodSister: Hmmmm. Do you ever have difficult clients? Have you ever seen a client and thought, “there’s nothing I can do to help this one’?

OBIS DARBAS: Oh Lord have mercy, yes I have!! You know what? Even while I was self-taught and at makeup school, I’ve always prayed never to meet difficult faces but trust me, I meet them on a regular. And they are usually willing to pay so much just to make sure I cover it all. However they have been my greatest joys because I see that I can hide/enhance some facial features and lift the burden for a day from their chest. Anyways that’s what I’m paid to do…”Glam them up”!

D Fairy GodSister: Whoop! Have you ever made a mistake? Like, scraped off the whole brow, used the wrong colors, etc?

OBIS DARBAS: No. I’m a very cautious person. That’s why I do a trial to avoid such mistakes. I always tell the brides to grow their brows for a while. And we work together to get the exact foundation/eye shadow/lipstick shade that best suits their complexion.

D Fairy GodSister: Who in this line of business has had the biggest influence on you?

OBIS DARBAS: I have been influenced by International celebrity makeup artist Wayne Goss. I have indeed learnt a lot from him. He is a makeup guru!

Pretty!!

D Fairy GodSister: Well done!! As we wrap up, what’s the place of your family in all this?

OBIS DARBAS: They know it’s something I love to bless people with and I have gotten the necessary support from them, even though they see a necessity for me to grow my oil & gas career.

D Fairy GodSister: Thank God for family right? What do you think of the makeup businesses springing up every day the days? Are you threatened?

OBIS DARBAS: Yes o, thank God for family! Makeup has a large market in Nigeria. There are millions of people you can apply it on, as a business it is quite lucrative too. People tend to believe we should struggle for the same clients but I’m not threatened because when you have excellence in your field, you will be preferred.

D Fairy GodSister: If you’re a geologist Monday to Friday and a makeup artist on the weekends, doesn’t leave time for much else does it? When do you have time for fun stuff? And what do you do for fun?

OBIS DARBAS: I’m not busy every weekend. There are some jobs I hand over to my assistant. During free weekends I cook, watch lots of TV and spend time with my loved ones.

D Fairy GodSister: Final question; where do you see OBIS DARBAS by 2015? As a young woman, an entrepreneur, and a geologist?